Shock absorber



5E., RYDER SHOCK ABSORBER Mayv 27, 1930.

Filed March 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l E. RYDER SHOCK ABS ORBER May 27, 1930.

Filed March 12, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 27, 1930A :limitan nYnEn, or ELGIN, ILLINOIS y SHOCK AnsonBEn Application led March 12,V 19,28. Serial No. 266,828.

This invention relates to hydraulic shock absorbers for motor vehicles, and conslsts in the matters hereinafterv described and v claimed.

1 In theaccompanying drawings- Fig. 1 shows a shocky absorber of my invention in its place of'use y Fig. 2 is a top plan view ofthe same; Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional vieW taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a View looking into the absorber when its' cover plate is removed;

Fig. 5 isa vertical vsectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view taken'on line 6*-6 of Fig. 4. In Fig. 1, 1 indicates one of the side memi bers of the spring supported frame or chassis of a motor vehicle, and 2 indicates an axle below the nsame. 3 indicates the hydraulic shock absorber of my invention secured to the framemember 1 above the axle 2 and havingv an outside actuating arm 4 which is connected to the axle 2 by a rigid rod 5.

A bolt or other suitable fastening 6 pivotally connects the upper end of the rod y5 with the outer or free end of the arm 4. The lower 'end of the rod 5 is connected .to the axle 2 vthrough a clamp .assembly 7 whichdhas a brackety 8 through whichk the rod extends. Here the rod is screw-threaded to receive nuts 9, 9 onopposite sides of the bracket, as shown. The inner sides of the nuts are curved or rounded where they engage the" bracket 8 to make sort of a universal joint vconnection between the rod and the bracket.

The shockv absorbing mechanismL comprises a vertically disposed cylinder 10 and outside ylugs 11, 11 whereby bolts 12, 12 may rigidly vsecure'the absorber to the side member 1, preferably on the outer side thereof. The cylinder 10 isclosed at its opposite'ends, as by a screw cap 13 at its upper end and by a bottom wall 14 at its lower end, as shown inFig. 3.

Cast integral with the cylinder 10 is a casing 15 having one portion in front of the cylinder andthe -remaining portion at'the side of the cylinder opposite the lugs 11. The 'casing 15 extends outward yfrom ythe cylinder and is closed at its outer end by a cover plate 16. The latter is detachably se-y cured to the casing (with a gasket interi *l posed) by. a number of screws 17, as shown.

A horizontal rock shaft 18 extends from front to rear through the portion of the casing 15 at the side of the cylinder. Said shaft' 18 has its ends journaled in the back wall and cover plate 16, respectively, of the'casing 15. The actuating arm 4 is exterior of thecasing shaft.

Located in the portion of the casing 15 containing the shaft 18 yis a flat crank larm 19. Said arm 19 has a yieldable connection atone end with the shaft 18 so that the shaft may lturn to. a limited extent with respect to said arm for purposes to be presently described. One form of such connectionis shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and, as there illustrated, said connection comprises a seat 2O for the arm and one or more bolts 21 extendingthrough vthe shaft and the arm at the seat for securing thearmthereto.` A coil spring 22 isabout the boltkbelow the shaft 18 andbears atits upper end against the shaft and at its lower vend against a nut 23 on the bolt wherebythe I tensionv of the spring may be varied as desired.y The seat 2O may be madeV by cutting a `and is fixed at one end to the outer'end of said recess in the shaft 18, andrto provide for the greatest amount of rocking Vmovement -ben tween vrthe parts, the seat may be given an arcuate shape, as shown in Fig. 3.

To more readily permit of this movement, the holes 24 in the armV and shaft forv the bolt are enlarged, as shown. Y v

Slidably mounted in the cylinder 10 is 'al piston 25, which` is., shorter than the cylinder .so as to provide hydraulic chambersgat-the oppositeends of the cylinder. Said piston is Vprovided midway of its ends Ywitha cen'- trally disposed hole 26 to receive one rightl angular end 27 of aU-shaped link 28. The

other right-angular. end 29 of the link isre ceived in lan opening or eye made in the outer or free end of the arm 19.` Thewallfof the cylinder 10 at-the opening 26 is provided i 'with a vertically disposed elongated slot 30,

which permits vertical 'movement of the link end 27 with the piston 25.

Extending longitudinally through the pisi ton 25 from top to bottom s'a'passagel so rol Vof thepiston by coiled springs 34,34. The

latter are located inV thepassage 31 and.bear, respectively, against the innerends of the members -33 and theshoulders provided at the reduced portion 32 of said passage. Y, Y

Fasteners 35, 36 yextend over-shoulders at the'inner ends of the-members 33 to prevent the springs 34 from projecting them completely out of the passage 31. The fasten-V er 35 isin the form of Aa thin iat'strip which Y is'secured to theadjacent end of the piston by a screw -37. [The end ofthis strip opposite the member 33Vnormaly overlies and closes theopenl upper'endof a passagek 38 which fis provided in the'piston 25 at one side'of the passa-Ue 31. jThepassage 38 extendsdown to ine'artylie mid-portion of the ypiston and there turns outward and opens through the cylin-V dric'wall of the pistonin a port 39 at the slot 30.vr This port is so located that itis always open through said slot in any position of movement of the'p'iston'infthe cylinder 10.

1f vvThe tubes 33 Vin projecting beyond the ends yof the piston 25"'strike the end walls 13, 14 of the cylinder l0 before the endsof the piston reach the same in the reciprocation of the piston'.V Thebuter ends ofthe tubes have VA-'shaped notches a, a' therein so that thev tubes l will not be closed bythe end walls ofthe clinde'rfwhen striking the same. Thus, in 't i e upward movement of the piston', the upper tube 33 will reach into any trapped air which maybe above the piston and allow such 'I air t-o be displaced to the lower end of the cyllnder in theupward'movement of the piston.

This displaced air will'rise to the under side of Y thel piston, and on the downward movement ofthe pistonl be forced upward around the sides thereof and flow into an annular groove or channel'40 ymade in the cylindrical wall of lthe plistonin the region. ofthe slot 30. The it e piston `25 in the cylinder 10 is -not so tight :1s-toV prevent this air flow, and the air 1on`reaching'the-groove 4() will find voutlet through the"V slot 30 and bubbleup through Vthelbody orfioil in-'the' casing 15"andenter the free `spacef41at the top of said-casing above "the oil level 'bthereimassshown in Fig. 3.

fj The. upper end yof the casing 15v extends abovethe cylinder 10 so thatthe'oil level will normally standlabovethe cylinder so as toinsure llinfgofthe free spaces in' the cylinderfrlQ with I-oil. f Aremovable plug'` 42 is at filled with oil.

In the downward movement of the piston, n i a slight suction is created in the upper end of the cylinder, and as a resultoil'flo'rws from the casing 15 (which serves as afreservoir) into the passage 38, through the port 39.

' Under tliissuction thefin'coming oil'lifts the endof the strip135 over the upper endof said passage and allows the oil Yto enter the upper.V end of the' cylinder to replace theeif# pelled air. Thus a sui'licient amount of o1l 1s r "automatically maintained at.V Vthe opposite ,ends-of the pistontoinsure proper hydraulic Vaction of the device.`- Y On lirstfilling the device-'with'theV hydraulic medium, air will be trapped the upper end of the cylinder.` This air will be forced Ythe top of the casing 15 whereby itimay vbe i out of the cylinder inthe first moi/'ements v Y of the device and anygfurther airpth'at may y Y-ind its way into thecylinder Will be expelled therefrom and the cylinderv be automaticallyV filled with oil, as described.

llVhen applied to avvehicle,`the piston 25 Y normally stands substantially midway the length'of the cylinder 10, as shown'in Fig. 3, and the actuating arm 4 is substantially horizontal, as shown in Fig.- 1. 1In the travel of y the vehicle over a relatively smooth roadway, l

kasprovided by concrete or briclrpavements,

theyieldable connection betweenshaft 18 'and arm 19 will permit the shaft and itsactuating Varm 4 to move up for down 'or :float within limits and thus not subject the absorberto the relatively small shocks 'received by the-wheels.

.Thus the body of thevehicle is not repeatedly jerked out of its normal Vhorizontal/position Y.

and the car 'rides steadily. g

Should the wheels drop into a hole or run over an upraised obstruction of. a-character that moves the arm 4 beyond .the limits ofits floating action, then the shaft 18 is turned far enough to swing thezarm 19 and raise lor*v `lower the piston 25, depending on the direcn In this movement of the tionof the shock. A piston 25, the'oil is displacedfrom one end 32, the iow is retarded so as to cause the piston to resist-the shock and absorb itinv the oil. With oil at oppositeends of the piston, the absorber is double acting. 1 1

of the piston to the other, and-,by the passage Any air collecting in the upper .endof the nder 10 above thepiston will be expelled out of the cylinder in themannerfpreviously described, and the absorber will not become air bound to hinder its effective action.

5 In the event of an eXcessiveshock,"as when Y the wheels dropl into a deep hole'or run over a large bump, the flow ofthe oil through the restriction 32 would be soslow that the piston could not move fast enough to kcompensate for such a shock. By theyieldable connection heretofore described, the shaft -18 willbe Vpermitted `to yield'with respect to the arm L19 'and thus move quickly under suchV shock and relieve the piston and associated parts of excessive strain.

Manifestly, with my improvements the yieldable connection between the arm 4 and the shock absorbing mechanism is such as to relieve the slower moving mechanism of rela-y comprising, in combination, an actuating arm, shock absorbing means operable by said arm, and a yieldable connection between said arm and said means whereby the arm may yield with respect to said means under excessive or relatively light shocks.

2. A shock absorber for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination, an actuating arm, shock absorbing means operable by said arm, and a yieldable connection between said arm and said means whereby the arm may have a floating action with respect to said means under relatively light shocks.

3. A shock absorber for motor vehicles, comprising, iny combination, shock absorbing means, a rock shaft, a crank arm for said shaft and having one, end connected' with said means, and yieldable means connecting the other end of the arm to said shaft whereby the arm may yield with respect to said shaft under excessive or relatively light shocks.

4. A shock absorber for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination, shock absorbing means, al rock shaft, a crank arm for said shaft, a yieldable connection between one end of said arm and said shaft whereby lthe arm may yield with respect'to said shaft under excessive or relatively light shocks, and a rigid link pivotally connecting the other end of the arm to said shock absorbing means.

5. .A shock absorber for motor` vehicles, comprising, in combination, shock absorbing means including a pistona rock shaft, a crank arm, a yieldable connection between y one end of said arm and said shaft whereby the arm may yield with respect to said shaft under excessive or relatively light shocks, and a rigid link connecting the other end of said arm to said piston, said link being substantially U-shaped'and having its ends pivotally received in openings in the arm and piston, respectively.

6. A shock absorber for motor` vehicles, comprising, in combination, a rock shaft Ahaving a seat, an arm having a substantially flat portion at its inner end, lspring meansl yieldably connecting the arm at its fiat portion to saidA seat, and shock absorbingineans operable through said shaft. 7. A shock absorber for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination, a rock shaft, a crank arm for said shaft, means providing a rockable seat between the inner end of said arm and said shaft, spring means yieldably connecting said arm to said shaft at said seat,

and shock absorbing means operable throughsaid shaft. l

8, A hydraulic shock absorber for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination, an upright cylinder with closed ends, a reciprocable piston in said cylinder, means whereby trapped air may be transferred from the upper to the lower end of the cylinder in the upward movement of the piston, and V means whereby such displaced air may escape from the lower end of the cylinder and be automatically replaced bythe hydraulic mediumv in the downward movement of the piston. y r

9. A hydraulic shock absorber for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination, an upright cylinder with closed ends, a piston in said cylinder and having a longitudinal passage therethrough, spring pressed tubular members slidably retained in said passage at the opposite ends thereof, said members being open at both ends and Vprojecting beyond thefpiston for ytransferring trapped ai-r from the uppergto vthe lower end of the cylinder in the upward movementof the piston, and means whereby the air` may escape from the lower end of the cylinder and be automatically replaced by the hydraulic medium. y

1Q. A hydraulic shock absorber for motor vehicles, comprising, in combination, an upright cylinder having closed ends and a slot in its cylindric wall, a piston in said cylinder over said slot, means whereby trapped air maybe transferred from the upper to the lowerend of the cylinder in the upward Amovement of the piston, al hollow casing secured to saidcylinder in communication with said slot Land containing a supply of hydraulic medium yfor the cylinder, a groove in the outer surface of the piston at said slot, whereby the displaced air may escape from the lower end of the `cylinder into the casing, a passage in said piston and communicating theslot with the upper end of the cylinder, anda valve carried by the piston for'said passage and opening under the suction in the downward movement of the piston;

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ELMER RYDER.

llO 

